Floor sanding and polishing machine



W. G. JOHNSON.

FLOOR SANDING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

v H APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1917. 116, 11.

H p h 0. N 1 1 1 1 1 H |mw 1 I 1 d 3 E M 0 MM .N 0J S m T m y Y 4 P N BW W. G. JOHNSON.

FLOOR SANDING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-'19. 19H. 1 .1 ,3 1 6,841 Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2- III A lllllli gm \HIII Ill-ll INVENTOR. WaMz/z 61mm W.G. JOHNSON. FLOOR SANDING AND POLISHING MA CHINE.

. APPLICATION FILED NOV. I9. 19!]. 1,816,841. I PatentedSept. 23,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1 N VEN TORv Waldm f'msm W. G. JOHNSON.

FLOOR SANDING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

\ APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1917. 1,316,4HL

Patented Sept. 23, 1919. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR.

WALDEN G. JOHNSON, LOS AN CALIFORNIA.

noon SANDING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

specification of Letters Patent. Patefitedl Sept, 23, 119119,,

Application filed November 19, 1917. Serial No. 203,042.

Toollwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALDEN G. J oHNsoN,

p a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Los Angeles, in thecounty of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Floor Sanding and Polishing Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

' wood floors and of being self 5 means may 25 l My invention relates tosanding and polishing machines and has for a primary object theprovision of a portable machine ca pable of use for sanding andpolishing hard propelled over the floors during its operatio A furtherOb]80t is to provide means supported on the machine for operating thesanding and polishing elements and capable of being connected to thetraction wheels of the machine for imparting power from a motor thereto.g

A further object isto provide a machine of the character referred tohaving a carriage upon which the sanding and polishing be supported andadapted to be self prope ed over the floor in both forward andreversedirections at will by an opera tor or, operated as a stationarymachine, as may be desired. V

A further object is to provide suitable transmission means and steeringmeans for the machine carriage by means of which the application ofpower may be made to the traction elements and the machine guided indesired directions. A furtherob ect is to provide a machine of thecharacter described, a blower and means leading thereto for removing alldust from the floor over which the machine traverses during itsoperation and-means asso-- ciated therewith for collecting the dust in asuitable receptacle or bag. Other objects Y may appear as.thedescription progresses.

I have illustrated one form of machine in. the drawings hereto annexedshowing a pre. ferred embodiment of my invention which I will nowdescribe in detail, similar characters of reference being employed inthe several views of the drawings for indicating the same or like partsand reference being made thereto in the specification hereinafterfollowing. a

' Referring particularly to the drawings,

' Figure 1 is a side elevation of my assembled machine, Fig. 7 2 is a'plan of the sand belt tightening means, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionof the same and Fig. at is a transverse 8601 1011 of the platform of themachine showmg the support for the said tightening means.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of tightening means. Fig. 5'is a planof themachine, Fig. t3 1s a rear end elevation of the same, Fig. 7 1s a planof the transmission means, sanding belts and shoes therefor, Fig. 8 is aside ele- Vation of the worm gear transmission means and Fig. 9 isavie'w of the same, partly in section, at right angles to Fig. 8. Fig.10 is a front end elevation of the machine, Fig. 11 is an enlargedlongitudinal section of the front end of the machine, Fig. 12 is aperspective View of the sanding and polishing shoes and attachmentstherefor and Fig. 13 is a composite section of the same. Fig. 14: is anenlarged transverse section of the steering mechanism and Fig. 15 is alongitudinal section of the same. Fig. 16 is a plan of the steering barand transmission lever;

In. the detailed description of my device hereinafter following it willbe obvious that the structure shown and described is capable ofsubstitution and modification to a limited extent without enlarging thescope or departing from the spirit of my invention.

Briefly described my invention consists of acarriage A having maintraction wheels B and pilot wheels 0, sandin and polishing belts D, amotor for operating the traction wheels and polishing belts, and ablower mechanism F for collecting the dust resultin from the operationof the machine.

arriage A includes a platform 10 having recesses lland 12 formed in theopposite ends thereof for receiving a pair of sand belts D operating onopposite sides of the machine. The main traction wheels B are supportedon a transverse axle l3 journaled a swivel yoke 20, said yoke having avertical" stem 21 with a square end 22 riveted or otherwise secured inthe central portion of the yoke so as to turn therewith. The stem 21extends upwardly through a hollow shaft 23 which is pivotally supportedin a bracket in bearings 14 and 15 at opposite ends and formed onbrackets 16 and 17, respectively,

' that it may be moved about, as hereinafter .24 attached to the lowerside of the platform 15. The upper end of the stem 21 is attached to'aball fitting 27 having arms 28 secured therein and extending oppositedirections therefrom for the purpose of turnmg the stem and the pilotwheels beneath the plat form 10. Thus the carriage A is portably mountedon the -traction and pilot wheels so more fully described.

Motor E is connected with and operates a driven pulley 28 on atransverse shaft-29 by means of a belt 30 running over the motor drivenpulley 31 and the belt operating through suitable apertures in theplatform 10, as at 32. Driven shaft 29 is revolubly supported inbearings 33 which are adjustably held in brackets 34 depending from thebottom of the platform 10 and on opposite sides thereof. Motor E issuitably mounted on a base 35 and blocks 36, so that it may be adjustedslightly in position for tightening the belt 30.

Motion is communicated to the forward axle 13 which carries the maintraction Wheels B, by means of a longitudinal shaft 37, which isjournaled in a bearing 38 suspended from the platform 10 at a point nearthe front of the machine and at the rear end this shaft is journaled ina worm gear housing 39, which" is suspended from the rear axle 29. Shaft37 is driven by means of a worm gear 41 meshing therewith and mounted onthe end of the shaft 37, both of said worm gear elements being inclosedin said housing, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, as usual. The forward end ofshaft 37 carries a bevel friction pinion 42, or cone, which is adaptedto engage selectively with one or the other of a pair of cones 43 and 44which may be integrally formed as shown or separate and slidably keyed.to the front axle 13. Cones 43 and 44 are moved longitudinally of axle13 by means of a yoke 45 which engages an annular groove 46 formedcentrally of the" cones and is attached to the front end of alongitudlnal clutch operating rod or shaft 47 supported at the front endin a bearing 48 integrally formed with bearing 38 0f the shaft 37. Therear end of clutch operating shaft 47 is pivotally held in a bearing 49formed on the bracket 24 of the steering gear and carries a bevel gear50 which meshes with a similar gear 51 carried on the lower end of thehollow shaft 23 of the steering gear. The upper end of shaft 23 carriesa clutch operating lever composed of a stationary part 52 attached tothe shaft 23 by any suitable means and to which is pivdirection from aneutral position as shown, 7

will effect a corresponding movement of shaft 47 and yoke 45, the yokein turn moving the cones 43 and 44 correspondingly so as to engage thepinion 42. Thus either a forward or reverse motion may be imparted tothe traction wheels and the traction wheels and the steering mechanismand clutch means being convenient to an operator who may sit upon a'seat 56 attached to the platform 10, and operation of the machine maybeeasily controlled.

Rear axle 29 and shaft '37 rotate continuously during the operation ofthe motor and each end of the axle or shaft 29 carries a large andrelatively Wide faced pulley 57 over which the sanding and polishingbelts D operate. The forward end of the belts run over small pulleys 58which are carried on opposite ends of a transverse shaft 59 j ournaledin bearings 60, said bearings being capable of adjustment longitudinallyof the machine for the purpose of tightening the polishing belts D. Theadjustment is accomplished by means of horizontal slides 61, which areconnected at their rear ends by means of a transverse bar 62 and haveslots 63 at their front end for receiving the bearings 60, the slidesbeing spaced at the by means of set collars 64 on shaft 59 adja-- centto the bearings 60, and the slides having tongues 65 whichslidablyengage corresponding grooves 66 in a central block 67 attached to thebottom of the platform 10. The bar 62 is loosely attached to the frontend of an adjustment screw 68 which may be suitably held therein againstlongitudinal movement independently of the bar, and the screw 68 isthreaded through a block 69 held on another cleat or block 70 attachedto the lower side of the platform 10. Thus the turning of the screw 68will effect a movement of the slides 61, shaft 59 and pulleys 58 thereonlongitudinally of the machine, or separate adjusting screws may beprovided for each of the pulleys 58 as shown in Fig. 4 for tighteningthe belts independently/ Belts D are arranged to run in a plane veryclose to the floor and a pair of shoes 71 are provided at the front,over which these belts run, as shown in Fig. 1. Said shoes are pivotallyand adjustably suspended from the platform 10 by means of braces 72 andon the shoes may be released by means of a hand lever 72 and rods 73.Each shoe is composed of a plurality of thicknesses of wood, as a, b, '0and d which are suit-' ably attached together for forming the upperportion of the shoe and are also attached in any suitable manner to thecleat 74:. The lower portions of the shoes are substantially spaced from.the upper portions justdescribed, and are also, composed of a corresponding number of sections, as at e, f, g, and k, which occupy the samevertical planes as the sections a, b, a and d of the upper portions.Sections a, b, cand d and e, .f, g and h,'a:re respectively hingedtogether by means of leather strips 75 and the adjacent faces thereofare bored, as at 76, to form seats for springs 77 which serve toresiliently space the blocks of the upper and lower shoe portions. Anouter piece of leather 78 is provided. on the outer face of the shoesover which the bolts D operate, thus providing a smooth and practicallyfrictionless surface for the belts. The shoes are positioned directlybeneath the pulleys 58 and the for ward faces of the shoes are roundedso as to permit the operation of the belts as close to the walls of aroom as possible. For a like reason the belts D occupy-positions at theextreme sides of the platform, as shown,

so that the machine may be run close up to the walls at the sides. Thecleat 74 of the shoes only engages the rear. ends of the blocks of thelower shoe portions and by means of the springs 77 independent action isafforded the different sections of the shoes so as to compensate for theunevenness of the floor over which the machine operates. The springsshould, however, be sufiiciently strong as to hold the belts D firmlyagainst the floor for obtaining the best results.

The belts D operate over the top of the platform 10 from the rear to thefront, thence downwardly over pulleys 58 andshoes 71, thence in contactwith the floor and over rear pulleys 57, and-the dust which is formed inthe sanding or polishing operation is carried over the floor beneath thebelts to the rearof the machine where it is sucked up into the twoflattened ends 80 of a blower pipe 81 leading to and connected with theI inlet 82 of a centrifugal blower 83, the ends 80 of said pipe beingcurved as shown in Fig. 1 to conform to the periphery of the pulleys 57and terminating at points close to the floor;

The blower 83 is suitably supported on a raised shelf 84 above the mainplatform and is arranged to discharge the dust into a bag of receptacle85 connected with the outlet of the blowerby means of a pipe 87. Thetraction wheels of the machine are positioned between the belts D andintermediate of the ends of the platform so that they in no wayinterfere with the operation of the belts and the driving shaft 37 isstraddled by the steering yoke, so that the pilot wheels may be'operatedto a suflicient extent to accomplish a complete turn of the machine.

In operation, the mechanism is started and the' machine is guided overthe fioor in a straight path and if necessary returned over the samepath until the floor is sufliciently which the machine-may proceed in adesired path. It will be..understood that the machine isdesigned to moveat a very slow speed overthe floor but the blower which is operated by abelt 88 operating over the driving belt of the machine and the rela-.tively small pulley 89 of the blower, is de-'.

signed to operate at a rapid speed so as to insure the removal of thedust from the floor. be moderately rapid for good results;

By loosening the belt adjusting means described, the'sand belts may bequickly removed from their pulleys and replaced by other belts from timeto time as needed. The blower suction pipes may be also quickly removedfrom their connection with the blower when the sand'belts are removed,the lower ends of the blower pipes being supported loosely on the upperside of the platform by means of straps 90. 1

The shoes 71, when the machine is idle, may be raised slightly from thefloor and the belts D slightly loosened on their pulleys by moving thehand lever 72 forward, the connecting rods 73 attached to the togglelevers serving to; move the shoes slightly backward and upward when themachine is started and the belts D are in operation, the lever 72 may bemoved backwardly and locked by a suitable ratchet and sector, as shown,for holding the shoes firmlyagainst the belts and placing tensions onthe belts. A hand block 91, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, may beused in lieu of the shoes 71, the block being held in the hand of theoperator against the inner side of one of the belts Dfor pressing thebelts against, the floor, where such may be necessary for a perfectfinish.

The speed of the sand belts should ity of resiliently supported elementsengaging said belt for forcing said belt into engagement with the floorduring the finishing operation, and means for pivotally retreicting saidelements, for loosening said be t.

2. A floor finishing machine including movable polishing belt means forengagement with the floor to be finished, and a plurality ofnon-rotatable and resiliently supported elements engaging theinner sideof and adapted to hold said belt in frictional engagement with thefloor.

3. A fioor finishing machine comprising a portable carriage having motoroperated abrasive belt means held thereon for contact with the floor, aplurality of independently resilient and yieldable members ongaging saidbelt means and for holdin the same in frictional contact with the floor,means for releasing sald members from said belt, and transmlsslon meansfor mov;ng

said carriage over said floor.

4. A floor finishing machine comprising a carriage having a motorthereon, abraslve belt means traversing the length of and positioned onopposite sides of said carriage and operated by said motor, a resilientshoe engaglng said belt means at one end for maintaining the frictionalengagement of said belt with the floor, and means at the opposite end ofsaid belt for collecting the dust produced by said belt and removing thesame from the finished floor.

5. A floor finishing machine comprising a portable carriage having apair of longitudinally movable abrasive belts operablysupported onopposite sides and traversing the length thereof, a yieldable shoeengaging said abrasive element at one end of said carriage for holdingsaid element in frictional contact with'the floor, means forreleasin'gsaid shoe from said belt, steering means and traction meansfor said carriage, and common operatin means for said abrasive elementsand said traction means.

6. A floor finishing machine comprising a power driven carriage providedwith a motor, steering and traction means therefor, transmission meansconnecting said traction means with said motor for forward and reversemovement, a driven shaft at each end of sald carnage, pulleys on saldshafts, a-

movable frame for adjusting one of said.

floor, and means for raising said shoe for loosening said belt.

7 A floor finishing machine comprising a base having traction wheels andsteerlng means therefor, transmission means for said traction wheels, amotor for operating said transmission means, abrasive belt meanstraversing the length of said base and for engagement with the floor,means for opera'bly connecting said belt means with sand transmissionmeans, and a resiliently held shoe for frictionally engaging said beltmeans with said floor.

8. A floor finishing machine comprising a dirigible carriage providedwith-self contained transmission means, a pair of rotatable shaftssuspended therefrom having pulleys thereon, said pulleys being held atdifferent elevations, means for relatively adjusting said shafts,abrasive belt means operably connecting said pulleys longitudinally ofsaid carriage for frictionally engaging the fioor, and means forconnecting said belts for operation by said transmission means.

9. A floor finishing machine comprising a dirigible carriage having amotor thereon and motor propelled traction wheels for supporting saidcarriage on the floor to be finished, a motor driven shaft disposedlaterally of said carriage, an idler shaft in alinement and relativelyadjustable thereto,

an abrasive belt operated by said driven shaft and serving to operatesaid idler shaft and for engagement with the floor, a shoe held beneathsaid idler shaft for yieldably holding said belt in engagement with thefloor during the finishing operation.

10. A fioor finishing machine comprising a portable carriage having amotor thereon, traction wheels and steering means therefor, a pair ofdriven shafts disposed in alinement at opposite ends of said carriageand having pulleys thereon, one of said pulleys being raisedsubstantially above the surface to be polished, said shafts being rel-'atively adjustable, abrasive belt means operably connecting said pulleyslongitudinally of the carriage, a yieldable shoe supported beneath saidraised pulley for bold mg said belt means in frictional engagement withthe floor to be finished, and suc:

'tion means at one end of said belt means for chine.

WALDEN G. JOHNSON.

